Raw aluminium frame – options for protecting it? Clearcoat, anodising, or…?

How best to protect a raw/natural aluminium frame?

Yes I could let it oxidise naturally, but I’m a tart and want to keep it looking better than it currently does. It was quite oxidised and marked when I bought it (used), I polished it up, applied ceramic coating stuff thinking it’d protect it a bit but it’s dulled down and oxidising naturally again within 6 weeks or so. However, the big issue is sweat and generally handing it is marking it up quite badly. I could continue polishing the stains/marks out like I’m doing but it’s a PITA and – like I say – I’m a tart.

Clear anodising? Clear coating with some sort of lacquer? DIY or paintshop? I don’t want to lose the natural look, not fussed about mirror polish finish though.

Frame in question is a Geometron/Nicolai. I’ve got a second similar frame incoming and keen to figure out what to do with it before I build it up.

clear paint is a bitch to get to stick to ally, and any stone chips etc will cause it to spider, blister and lift off
However
clear powdercoat could be an option

The steel wool pad they supply with the frames does a nice job restoring a brushed finish, but that’s maybe not what you’re after.

The steel wool pad they supply with the frames does a nice job restoring a brushed finish, but that’s maybe not what you’re after.

I didn’t get the pad (secondhand frame) but that’s the sort of finish I’m after, but its then protecting it further beyond that so that it doesn’t oxidise/stain again. I used steel wool and Autosol to bring it up to a nice finish but it’s not lasting.

I’ve got a shelf full of car cleaning stuff (as I say, tart) and was planning to try more traditional wax than the ceramic coat that’s done heehaw, but thinking more longterm as even a decent carnuba wax wouldn’t be that durable.

clear powdercoat could be an option

I’ve been put off powdercoating an aluminium frame – might just be poor workmanship, but I know of a few frames that cracked/snapped after powdercoating (inc, IIRC, @Beagleboy of this parish).

If you find something that works, Boeing might be interested to know what it is.
https://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_05/textonly/fo01txt.html

I’ve been put off powdercoating an aluminium frame – might just be poor workmanship, but I know of a few frames that cracked/snapped after powdercoating (inc, IIRC, @Beagleboy of this parish).

Powder coating can act as a heat treatment cycle on aluminium frames if the ‘coaters have the oven temps whacked up.

I’ve run a few raw steel frames as well as loads of raw aluminium, a decent carnauba wax is your friend……or a green scotchbrite cloth and ‘brush’ it

My g13 was second hand and is 3 years old.

The tattyest bit is the helicopter tape I put on to protect it.

I keep meaning to strip it and polish it, then decide it rather ride it 🙂.

My bird is raw and quickly looked tatty. Theres a polished bit from where I strap it to the bike rack!

I never wash it because its a PITA to wash as mud sticks to it.

Next time I’m getting a painted frame.

Powder coaters trash alloy frames as the ovens are too hot. If you are tempted ask them what temperature the oven is.

Powder coating can act as a heat treatment cycle on aluminium frames if the ‘coaters have the oven temps whacked up.

I’ve run a few raw steel frames as well as loads of raw aluminium, a decent carnauba wax is your friend……or a green scotchbrite cloth and ‘brush’ it

General thought (whether Beagleboy agrees or not) was the powdercoater did indeed have his oven temp whacked right up, resulting in the issue. I happily used the same guy for car wheels and a steel bike frame but personally won’t risk an aluminium frame.

I’ve got a couple of dark green (7486) Scotchbrite pads I use on a ti frame, possibly too coarse for aluminium so might pick up a regular green or less abrasive pad. And I might as well try the Collinite #476 wax I use on the car for afterwards.

I keep meaning to strip it and polish it, then decide it rather ride it 🙂.

Ah, I did the polishing before I built it. Now that it’s built though I’m less inclined especially being my only MTB at the moment, but I’ve got a Saturn 14 frame incoming so planning ahead for some tarting up of my G15.

I think the viability of any of these methods depend on the specific alloy used. Some aren’t suitable to be run raw and some can’t be anodised, AFAIK.

7020-T6 (AlZn4,5Mg1) in the case of Nicolai/Geometron, apparently. No idea what that means but sounds cool.

“We at Nicolai exclusively use the alloy 7020-T6 (AlZn4,5Mg1) for our frames. Compared to our competitors, who mostly use aluminium 6061-T6, this grade has much better strength values.”

I’ve got a raw Liteville 301 and I don’t do anything else to it other than wash it and occasionally “roughen up” the top tube with Scotchbrite if it gets too polished looking.
I don’t mind it not looking immaculate, although it looks more immaculate than the black ano. one that I have, which looks like a faded, washed out old pair of jeans.
I don’t mind that either, it’s had a hard life.

Mine gets a going over with scotchpads and autosol once a year, along with bearings and new decals.

My raw Bird Aether has some kind of clearcoat over the top of the metal and it seems fairly durable. Not sure if it’s just a clear lacquer or a powder coat / something else.

The only place it’s not lasting well is where the bike carrier (Thule 598) clamps on the base of the downtube. Seems to have worn through there. In hindsight I should have helicopter taped that bit.

My raw Bird Aether has some kind of clearcoat over the top of the metal and it seems fairly durable. Not sure if it’s just a clear lacquer or a powder coat / something else.

This is the sort of idea I was having that led to me creating this question – I thought Bird raw frames were coated in something as are raw Banshee frames. But then I’d also heard what @Alan1977 posted earlier that clear coat can be a PITA to stick to raw and can inevitably scratch/chip like any paint.

A mate’s suggested I paint my frame with a silvery/satin/chrome paint to replicate the natural raw colour while adding protection, but that sounds like sacrilege to me – like covering up nice stonework on an old house wall with crappy roughcast or render.

It gets worse than that.. As soon as water can get into the chip it will literally bubble up like a big yellow blister and flake away.
Omindont know if clear paint has got any better beyond my knowledge.. I’m thinking back to alloy wheels with clearcoated rims

Also.. Didn’t realise powdercoat got hot enough to effectively heat treat…..

I’m thinking back to alloy wheels with clearcoated rims

I know that pain. Bought a car years ago with split rim alloys where the inner section was painted but outer was raw polished with lacquer. Water damage everywhere under the lacquer. I stripped the lacquer, polished them up and swapped them for ‘normal’ alloys.

I suspect the same issue could easily happen with a bike frame.

I don’t think Bird are alone in the clearcoat over raw – sure I’ve seen another bike the same but forget which it was.

I’d imagine the rim of an alloy gets a harder time than a bike frame generally – it’s going to get covered in brake dust and road salt and general grime. With mtb the main issue is going to be chips – it’s only really going to get mud on it rather than anything that might eat away at the costing.

Here’s what Ben said about the Aether 7 coating:

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benpinnick
Full Member

Its got a clear (gloss) lacquer over raw alu. You can only really anodise frames black – too many types of alu / weld in there it looks messy even in silver. We do of course offer black ano bikes too….

Ah, I forgot clear anodising would result in funkiness with the welds showing in a different shade to the tubes. That’s out then.

Clear gloss lacquer over raw all would be perfect, as long as it takes to the surface OK. I’ll away and research what I can about prepping raw all before clear lacquering. I already asked a local frame painter about clear coating my frame but he’s not willing to take it on. I wonder if @benpinnick has any further info on the clear lacquering of their raw frames…

It might depend on the clear coat. it’s pretty common technology but normally it goes over another paint. It might give you issues direct to metal. Not sure if many are designed for that.

Is it a wild idea to suggest you get it powder coated silver?

There should be no problem getting it powder coated. Aluminium is fine, it’s a standard industrial process. You just need to find a good powder coater so they set things up correctly for a relatively low weight aluminium item. I know a good place in Newcastle.

Yep, clear coat generally goes on after paint – I’ve found mention of some requiring a catalyst to aid adhesion of the clear coat. Googling has brought me to this but I need to look into it more: https://www.cerakote.co.uk/shop/cerakote-coatings/performance-clears/clear-aluminium-mc-5100/ – doesn’t require a catalyst, is applied direct to aluminium. I need to look into it a bit more though.

Powdercoated silver is an option, but one I’m trying to avoid if possible. I know finding a decent powdercoater (I’m in central Scotland – thanks for the Newcastle suggestion though) would allay issues around too high temps, but the frame and welds are so nicely done it’d be a shame to partially mask the lovely welds in powdercoat!

Can’t you get clear powder coat? Might be an option…..

renaisance wax for the win, its used to preserve armour and weapons,rub a little bit all over the frame and either leave to stay mat or or can be polished to slight sheen. needs the odd top up now and then but a small tub lasts for ages. I use an evil home brew version that a conservator mate gave me the recipie for,but the off the shelf stuff works well and doenst involve mixing carcinogenic chemicals in a fume cabinet 🙂

has kept my raw steel bike bits rust/oxidation free for ages

I’ve got an airdrop edit anniversary frame that’s clear with a coating.

Just been on their website and it says it’s a clear power coat. It works really well.

https://www.airdropbikes.com/blogs/news/5-year-anniversary

I also had a cove stiffee. The paint flaked off in thumbnail sized chunks.

It was painted silver by Argos cycles I enamel.

After 15 years of a lot of abuse, crashes, stuff rubbing, peak District Mud getting scrubbed off it still looked half decent.

They were not cheap then and and not cheap now! Especially a full suss frame.

https://argoscycles.com/resprays-refurb/price-lists/

My road bike is an aluminium Cannondale, painted silver and clear coated. That has taken 3000 miles of mostly commuting with very few chips.

a11y
Full Member

Ah, I forgot clear anodising would result in funkiness with the welds showing in a different shade to the tubes. That’s out then.

I’ve had a couple of frames anodised (by Steve the anodiser/vulcan coating). One one bike it came out very nice and consistent:

On the other the welds came out darker/browner which was a bit of a shock but looks fine once built up:

I guess you’re wanting to keep the natural finish but I absolutely love how the coloured ano works on large and curved parts- how it catches the light/looks so different in shadow

They were not cheap then and and not cheap now! Especially a full suss frame.

https://argoscycles.com/resprays-refurb/price-lists/

Thanks for the info. Yep, not cheap especially with the additional cost of insured postage on a decent-value frame. Argos is a name that I recall from BITD.

I’ve got an airdrop edit anniversary frame that’s clear with a coating.

Just been on their website and it says it’s a clear power coat. It works really well.

https://www.airdropbikes.com/blogs/news/5-year-anniversary

Oh that is stunning. I wasn’t initially thinking as shiny/polished finish as that – it’d be probably difficult to achieve – but that sort of finish complete with clear powdercoat would be perfect. I’d put in the work to polish up the frame if I could find somewhere to then clear powdercoat it, if I knew it’d turn out like that.

I can see why bike firms wouldn’t want to sell frames with the welds contrasting like that, but I’d probably go for anodising in your position OP.

Highlighting the welds on a Nicolai is arguably a bonus anyway.